Light Elves
Eltmer (Aldmeris, "Holy Elves"), also known as "Light Elves", hail from the legendary continent of Varlamora (Aldmeris, "Star-Wood"), said by legends to fly above the clouds. In a very alike way to the Wood Elves, the Eltmeri on Tamriel are known to reject the formalities of the civilized world, discarding lavish living for a life in the wilderness, among nature, the trees, and animals. In fact, most of the known members of this race chose to live among the Bosmer in the forest province of Valenwood due to their respect for nature and life. Unlike them, though, the Eltmeri do not paint or decorate their bodies in anyway: they believe one's body and soul to be sacred, and as such are naturally contrary to necromancy, considering it to be evil and unnatural. They are viewed as sacred, almost angelical beings by the High Elves. Unlike most elves, the Eltmer race does not descend from the Aldmeri. Instead, they're said to have originated from the Ehlnofex race around the same time the Aldmeri did. To what extent this is true is not known, but they do indeed have something angelical on their appearance and abilities. Their body is always surrounded by a faint glow of which the color can be any shade of blue and yellow, most commonly golden. They are naturally very talented in both Restoration and Alteration schools of magic, and also gifted, though to a lesser extent, in others. Their blood is supposed to be mystical, said to heal any and all wounds, diseases, curses and poisons, even those of Daedric origins, upon contact. Although they too chose to live in Valenwood, and live in harmony with both the landscape and the wood elves who inhabit the province, the Eltmeri keep their distance from the various barbarian Elven clanfolk of the Western Valenwood forests. Their magic is similar to the one once used by the Snow Elves to construct their temples, but at the same time unique in a sense that they're able to channel their power through a special type of magical crystals and force them to take the shape of virtually anything they wish. This has been a matter of interest of scholars for many centuries, but of hundreds or thousands of attempts of replicating their magic, none was successful. Collectively, they are more commonly known as the "Light Elves", but Eltmer or "Holy People" are synonymous terms as well as literal translations of their name. Although the correct translation of their name is "Holy", the term "Light" has been used by many when referring to them due to never fading glow around their bodies, their light skin, hair and eye colors, and their high proficiency with light-generating spells. It's a known fact that all elven races of Tamriel (Bosmer, Dunmer and Altmer) live about two or three times longer than the other races, up to 200 or even 300 years. They are capable of extending their lifespans with powerful magical artifacts or spells. The most known way to do so is by becoming a vampire. However, the Eltmeri are an exception to that. In fact, a 300 year old light elf has only reached the half of their natural life time. A 500 years old Eltmer is considered old, but there have been light elves who lived up to 650 or even 700 years, although this is an extremely rare occurrence. They're able to extend their lifespans indefinitely by using powerful magic like any other race. Background Whereas the Aldmeri are descendants of the wanderer Ehlnofey, the Eltmeri race are descendants of the Old Ehlnofey race. During the Ehlnofey civil war, a group of Old Ehlnofey recurred to their divine magic and made a fragment of their old city rise to the sky in order to keep them away from the chaotic battle. Millennia of life exposed directly to the magic of Aetherius that comes into Nirn through the sun and stars granted them their unique traits. While physically similar to other Mer, the Eltmer have noticeable differences. Their skin is usually of a very light tone, as much as their hair and eyes. Their most notable feature is their blindness; a layer of pinkish skin covers the vestigial eyes. However, their other senses have become extremely sensitive as a result. Unwary adventurers learn quickly that the Falmer's blindness is no handicap in combat or crafting. The existence of the Falmer was once thought to be a myth. In recent times, however, they have made their presence known in gruesome fashion, butchering or enslaving every living thing they encounter. Whether anything of Snow Elf culture and civilization survives with them remains unknown. Some people assume that Falmer live longer life spans than other Mer, given Knight-Paladin Gelebor's claim that he escaped the Nords over three Eras ago. However, Gelebor is a unique case being the last servant of Auriel, it is likely that Falmer had similar life spans to other mer, but this conclave were kept from death in order to serve Auriel. Varlamora Varlamora (Aldmeris to "Star-Wood"), or "Star Wood", which can also be translated to "Forest of the Stars" is their continent of origin. According to the legends about them, Varlamora is an island which cannot be found. It is said to hover above the clouds, an island on the sky, of which the only entrance changes according to the cosmological time. Little to no information has been shared about the Light Elves' legendary homeland, since they all seem unwilling to talk about it to other races. However, it is a known fact that the Eltmeri crystals come from there. Their walls and buildings are supposed to be made of magical crystals, which grow from the earth like plants. Physiology The Eltmeri are usually taller than races like the Bosmer, but at the same time smaller than the Altmer; usually just a bit taller than the average human, though some of them have been noticed to surpass even an Altmer. Their skin is very pale, usually even paler than northern human races, such as the Nords, and most of them have human skin colors, but they can also have a yellowish or blueish tone to their skin. Despite their average height, an Eltmer's body is not built for physical combat: although there have been a few exceptions to that in the past, most of them would rather devote themselves to mastering the arcane arts. Their ears are not as pointed as other mer races, to the point some of them have even been mistaken as humans in the past, and their eyes, most commonly round shaped and coming in light shades of yellow, blue or even white color, are considered mystical by the Altmer race. Their hair follows the same color pattern as their skin and eyes, never dark. On average, Eltmeri are generally not as strong as other races, even Altmer, and their lack of physical aptitude also makes them not as agile, though in the past a few Light Elves were successful as warriors. The never-fading faint glow that surrounds them all the time also makes it very difficult for members of this race to sneak around. However, they make up for this with their outstanding magical aptitude, on average outclassing even an Altmer, and a very keen intellect, able to identify illusion and alteration spells — which sometimes made people mistake their eyes as mystically capable of seeing through magic —, as well as learn how an enchantment or mechanism works just by seeing it. History Culture Society Little to nothing is known about how the Eltmeri society in Varlamora worked, although many would assume that the Tamrielic Eltmeri tried to replicate their original culture to some degree. To which extent they were successful in their attempt is just as mysterious as the race itself. What is known for sure is that they did not have a concept of monetary system prior to their arrival in Tamriel: although nowadays they've grown used to the Septim Empire coins and have implemented it in their society, in Varlamora they had no need for money since most Light Elves would work for their own or the city's overall improvement. Even in the present day the concept of money is somewhat otherworldly for them: though they have it, most Eltmeri will simply spend all their coin at once in exchange for things of their interest rather than saving some money. It's mostly attributed to the way they society works politically. For an Eltmer, Cosmology is of extreme importance: they often associated the stars and planets to the gods and spirits, and believe that studying and learning the secrets of the outer cosmos will one day allow them to ascend back to the power and shape of their ancestors, the Old Ehlnofey race, descendants of the Aedra: their lack of interest in money is also due to that, since they believe leading their race back to godhood is more important than seeking personal achievements. This can be seen clearly in how their politics work: there are twelve clans in Eltmeria, their city, each representing one of the star constellations. They work in a similar way to the Great Houses of Morrowind, but at the same time it's much different: the twelve clans are not families, but social groups, each one with its own ruling body — which consists of five members, one appointed as the leader of the clan — and operating in a way that is almost completely independent of the others. By long tradition, everything a clan achieves is shared equally with the others, thus granting that no clan will become more powerful than the other eleven. Although each clan works independently of the other clans, they are all bound to help each other in times of great need, which also means no clan can lose enough power to be considered weaker or less significant than the others. The twelve clans are not families, but factions, and there is no individual with no clan. An Eltmer is assigned to a clan upon birth, in accordance to the twelve birthsigns — one is always assigned according to their own birthsign. Although no clan is considered more powerful than the others, there are three "main" clans, associated with the birthsigns of the Warrior, the Mage and the Thief, each responsible for representing four of the twelve clans. The Twelve Clans of Eltmeria The Twelve Clans of Eltmeria are: • Clan Dewin, associated with The Mage; • Clan Phrentil, associated with The Apprentice; • Clan Asugnem, associated with The Atronach; • Clan Defaedel, associated with The Ritual; • Clan Rylfwr, associated with The Warrior; • Clan Gwraeg, associated with The Lady; • Clan Glwydd, associated with The Lord; • Clan Daewyn, associated with The Steed; • Clan Llaedr, associated with The Thief; • Clan Carwyr, associated with The Lover; • Clan Cysgwdd, associated with The Shadow; • Clan Tywlr, associated with The Tower. There is no clan associated with The Serpent because there's no Eltmeri born under this sign. Whenever The Serpent appears, an Eltmer's pregnancy will not make any progress until the constellation goes away. However, in the past there have been members of this race who were born under the sign of The Serpent; this is only possible if The Serpent appears on the sky just as one is being born. Such a phenomenon has only been registered twice since the Eltmeri first arrived in Tamriel, but those who are born under The Serpent are called Yhrynfdd (Eltmeris: , "Untidy" or "Chaotic") by the Eltmeri; those are considered the most cursed and the most blessed among them all. The Eltmeri bear a strong connection with fate and the cosmos, and those born under the sign of "unstars" which is The Serpent are said to be born outside the tides of fate, making them unpredictable in a sense that could both bring great fortune or great destruction to the world around them. Leadership Eltmeria is not ran by a king or ruler. The city is ruled in a very unique way: together, the heads of the twelve clans are referred collectively as Cygwr Oany Sern (Eltmeris: , roughly "Council-Beneath-the-Stars"), a council responsible for ruling the city. Although all the twelve leaders are technically rulers of the city, the heads of the three main clans, referred as Ahrasstern (Eltmeris, , "Rising Stars"), are responsible for voicing the other clans decisions, therefore maintaining the objectivity and celerity of their meetings. Thus, though not officially, they are usually seen as leaders by the Eltmeri. It's known that in Varlamora they used to have a king, but the king's tyranny caused his downfall and the death of several Eltmeri in a civil war. The Tamrielic descendants of the race left their homeland during the war, thus its outcome is unknown. The existence of a council rather than a single ruler is a way they found to decentralize the power, therefore making sure no individual will have all the power for himself. However, even this has its exceptions. For example, in times of great need the council is allowed to appoint one person as the king of Eltmeria until the crisis is over. There is no need for the appointed person to be a member of the council, and the individual shall preferably be chosen in accordance to their need. For example, if there's a war going on, their appointed king should be a warrior powerful both in personal strength and intellect. If their need is of high complexity, the appointed leader should be a scholar, and if they have an economic problem, then their leader should be one under the Thief charges. They may also choose to make an exception to that whenever one is born under the sign of The Serpent: an Eltmer born under this sign is extremely rare, and therefore many consider such an individual to be one sent by the gods in times of great need to lead their race to prosperity. The king of Eltmeria is referred to as Cöranyrhwr (Eltmeris: , "Sun Crown") by title, or Mraenyr ( , "King" or "Overlord") when spoken to directly. Technology The Eltmer have a very unique "technology" which in a sense resembles the Dwemer due to its magical nature, though in this case the magic is much more visible. The Eltmerian crystals are not like anything on Tamriel: they grow from crystal seeds like trees, and can take virtually any shape its owner wishes. The Eltmeri are known for using such crystals to build Eltmeria, their city, of which the very walls and building are made of crystal. The Eltmeri crystals came along with them from Varlamora millennia ago, and so far can only be used by members of the race. Any other race simply cannot replicate their magic. According to Eltmeri scholars, the crystals are not manipulated by them either, but instead they say the crystals are living beings who simply trust the Eltmeri race enough to help them. Eltmeri Language Also known as Eltmeris, their language is very difficult to understand, but also extremely useful. Like the Eltmeri race itself, their alphabet is believed to be magical, able to create powerful effects once written on a surface. Although it is very hard to use in a fight due to the large amount of time and effort required to write texts in Eltmeris, it can be used to create powerful magical barriers, enchant items and cast large scale Alteration spells. Their alphabet has been used a few times by other races. Arch-Mage Shalidor's Insights were written by him in Eltmeris. The Oghma Infinium was written by Xarxes in that language as well. Despite the difficulty, many scholars in the past have demonstrated an interest in learning Eltmeris due to it usefulness: the spells cast by using their alphabet will not wear out, therefore the effects will only cease if the Eltmeris text associated to them is somehow destroyed, or if the effects themselves are somehow overpowered by a greater force. Though their language is hard to learn, there are equivalent characters for every letter of the common alphabet. However, learning the equivalence makes little to no difference, since their language is built with entirely differently written words. The alphabet is designed to vaguely resemble cosmological elements, as seen below: A''' = '''B = C''' = '''D = E''' = '''F = G''' = '''H = I''' = '''J = K''' = '''L = M''' = '''N = O''' = '''P = Q''' = '''R = S''' = '''T = U''' = '''V = W''' = '''X = Y''' = '''Z = Religion Gods Cosmology Mythical origins Ehlnofey Notable Eltmeri Appearances References Category:Races Category:LadyEluned